HELEN DYKES OF 2YZ

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 779, 25 June 1954, Page 23

HELEN DYKES OF 2YZ

ELEN DYKES, who is known to Hawke’s Bay children as Helen, has been responsible for two Children’s Sessions a week at 2YZ for the past 12 years. In this work she is associated with Geoff Haggett. She helps Geoff with the presentation of studio plays, which she thinks both educational and enjoyable for the children taking part. | "There’s no doubt that children listening | in enjoy them," she says, "and those taking part now know Geoff and me so | a et See ee

well that we feel one happy family. In fact, after 15 weeks of rehearsal and presentation of The Three Penguins one member of the cast told me she’d feel quite strange without the play to work on. That’s generally the attitude of all children at the end of a production." Helen’s Saturday afternoon sessions are usually devoted to musical items, from full choir to soloist, with occasional instrumental groups and Maori choirs or a short story by Geoff. She also arranges quiz programmes and Twenty Questions. The keenness of the smaller children is one of the things that has impressed : Helen most in her radio work. She has_ found when producing special musical | programmes for occasions like the> Coronation, Christmas programmes, or a show in the Children’s Ward at the hos--pital, that nothing is too much bother for the young ones. As for plays: "They very rarely miss rehearsals and throw themselves into the work heart and soul." Helen is always glad to meet young listeners. visiting Napier. She tells of one young visitor, a little girl, who looked in awed wonder at all the studio fittings and furnishings. Looking through into the announcer’s studio, then into the Control Room, she caught sight of a new, very large tape recorder, and exclaimed, "Gee, what a lovely studiothey even have a frig!"